I just wanted to see if anyone else may have had a similar thing…Over the last couple of weeks, my left eye has started to have a dull ache / pain at the back of my eye and I can feel it when I look in certain directions.
I just put it down to maybe the start of a headache / migrane, but over the last couple of days my eye keeps stinging, finding it hard to focus and it feels a little like it is being pushed from behind?! I can also see little floating things! My right eye is fine.
After mentioning to my optician (have not had my eyes tested in about 3 years), they told me to visit the local eye casualty.
The doctor there checked my eye and went very quiet and started writing lots of notes and asking if I have been getting pins and needles in my hands and feet? Obvviously I then thought, “here we go again” and felt ill!
He has said that my eye looks inflamed and has told me to take these drops for about 3 weeks and go back to see them.
I’m just wondering if it might be another effect of Tamoxifen? Should I mention it to my Onc?
I had a scare with my eye about four months ago and it is really scary isn’t it?
My optician found something ‘sinister’ behind my eye and I had to have it checked out… Luckily it was sorted with chemical drops to the surface and the stinging eye did improve but I was so very scared at just the thought of what it could be???
My headaches eased off too because I think the stress of the worrying caused real tension behind the eye!
It really was a nightmare time!
Really do hope your eye problem is sorted easily but in the meantime maybe you could speak to someone here or your own oncologist.
It might help your angst.
Best wishes for a very speedy solution. Welsh girl x
Yes it was very scary, still none the wiser as to what has caused my eye to be inflamed. It muat be right at the back or deep inside as my eye looks completely normal on the outside!
Hopefully the drops will help, although having real trouble trying to get to sleep, my eye aches! so odd and it is made worse when laying in certain positions.
Hi folks - can’t believe I am posting on the BCC forum again…thought I was done with it.
Like you I also have a problem with my left eye. I had a routine check up, during which I reported blurred vision. The result of the exam is that I have lost vision in my left eye for an unknown reason. I see the ophthalomologist on Monday and just hope that he can explain it! I really want to know if it is linked to the Tamoxifen, so hope he can tell me this much.
I am concerned that there is something more to this, but have managed to reign my feelings in…just hope to goodness it isn’t something sinister.
This post won’t really help much, other than to make you feel less alone! I hope you haven’t spent too much time on the Net (I foolishly did some snooping around and scared myself witless), as it is a minefield!
I have managed to not look into things too much online, yes I know you can get mets there most often caused by Breast Cancer, but that is as far as I am looking!
I think I may mention to my oncologist, like you say to find out if it is something to do with Tamoxifen.
I alternate between contact lenses and glasses, but when I was undergoing chemo my optician told me there was no point getting an eye test done as the drugs can affect your eyes.
When I had an eye test done post chemo, she told me I had developed extremely microscopic holes in the eye and this is a common side effect from the toxicity of the drugs. I had another eye test done 6 months later and in my case this had cleared up, but I was told in many patients it doesn’t. I finished chemo in 2007 and Herceptin in 2008 and I have noticed since then that my sight has deteriorated quite a bit. I am having my contact lens prescription adjusted yet again and last year I had to have Varifocal lenses in my specs. I am also having to get a prescription made up for reading and sewing as I now struggle with this. I’m 50 next month and my eyesight makes me feel like an old crock
This is interesting to me as i haven’t had chemo but 5 weeks of rads (last July)and i’ve recently been told i have a cataract forming. About 6 years ago i had a detached retina so susceptible to a cataract forming anyway. However, the optician said that the rads could have triggered it! I said the treatment did not go anywhere near my face, just part of my chest but she said that didn’t matter. Also,apart from that, my eyesight has got worse and now also have astigmatism in the eye as well. I never thought for a minute that rads could affect you that way, i thought it only really affected the area that it zapped and obviously affected your immune system, must have weakened my eye then!
Cherub - i feel the same as you, i’ll be wearing seriously think specs soon! Use my contacts but not all the time.
Sorry to hear all your stories about eye complications after BC treatment. It must’ve been so worrying for you all.
I really can empathise after my scare!
I was scared sh**less at the time and remember in my haste and angst I went to the wrong optician! Not my usual one but their kindness and understanding has kept me with the wrong one!
I’m sorry if this sounds too frivilous. I just wanted Paula to know that despite horrid symptoms initially (never affected my sight!) my situation did improve… The deep burning behind the eye did eventually lessen. They never were exactly sure why it had occurred, but it wasn’t the ‘mass’ that the optician and I suspected was an implication from BC.
However, I did google my symptoms and came up with a devastating diagnosis…so do try and only speak to the experts.
Really hope all of you have good professionals working with you and explaining all the facts. Any problem with your eye is awful but to realise that it could have been triggered by your treatment must make you feel so cheated…
docetaxol has made my eyes itchy sore and puffy.The loss of my eyelashes leaving just a few make them soft and they stick in towards my eye. I cant wear my contact lens very much this last month and it doesnt help going into hay fever season. Glad chemo is finished with now but cant wait to get back to wearing my lens.
Not moaning folks just thought it may be of interest to anyone suffering on tax and not sure if its hayfever or side effect.
Well it certainly seems that the treatment - which ever type has affected us in the eye department! I had terrible epiphora when I was having Taxotere, which is where the drug causes the tear ducts to close. It was gross and very uncomfortable!
Hospital tomoz, and I am really hoping they are able to tell me whether the problem is caused bynthe tamoxifen or not. That is the burning question for me…will pop back and let you know what they come up with.
How are you getting on with the drops Jbug? Hope they are working…
Thanks for your replies…hope those of you that are uncomfortable soon settle down :0
Xxx
I was freaking out a few months ago as my right eye went all funny, blurry, floaty things etc. Went to the opticians and she said all was fine. I changed my brand of tamoxifen and my eye went back to normal.
I get very dry itchy eyes now and occasional blurring but not so much.
Now that is a point Em…changing brand can be quite a useful way of dealing with the SEs
Good news in that I ‘only’ have the beginnings of cataracts, courtesy of the chemo! I was somewhat miffed when the consultant felt the need to tell me that chemo is in fact a poison that will affect the whole body…you don’t say! I don’t think it was necessary to point that out to me!
One thing he told me which may help you is that he has only ever seen one case of tamoxifen retinopathy and that was in someone who took 40mg a day for seven years (unsupervised). So it appears to be as rare as reported.
I think the other thing to take comfort from is the fact that chemo is gonna be ‘chewing’ away at us for years to come, so not to be surprised when bits start to fail or drop off!
I am relieved that the tamoxifen can’t be blamed as I’m not comfortable taking the drug in the first instance…it wouldn’t take much to convince me to come off of it!
The fact that out eyes are ‘uncomfortable’ doesn’t really help with the whole getting away from cancer thing, as it is a bit in your face when you can’t see three inches in front of you! I just want to leave the whole sorry episode behind and get frustrated when my body constantly reminds me that it is still a very current problem! Rrrragh :0
Hope you are all ok - thanks for starting the thread jbug
Xxxxxxx
